Shine A Light

Tuesday, 9 March 2010

Heavy Metal In Baghdad

I heard of this film about a year or so ago, but it only got a very limited release in London, and I was not able to get to a screening, but now the good people at www.vbs.tv have put it up for all to see!

Heavy Metal In Baghdad is a documentary about Iraq's only heavy metal band, Acrassicauda (means black scorpion in Latin), after the fall of Sadam Hussein. I personally don't care for heavy metal or the conflict in Iraq...but you gotta admit, both are important things.

This is a strangely compelling, personal and intermit story about a group friends who are in the middle of a war zone and have no freedom to express themselves, but still cling onto the heavy metal beliefs and ideals. There's actually very little music in the film, because (as is shown) it's nearly impossible to put on gigs and shows in Iraq (even harder now than during Sadam's regime!). Things aren't made any easier when your rehearsal space get blown up too!

But like heavy metal itself, this film and these guys are about more than the music, it's their lives and their situation that drives them and this story casts a refreshing new light on the people of Iraq and what they have been through and what they want from life.

Unfortunately, the news media in Europe and especially the US will no doubt continue to portray the situation in Iraq and it's people in the same depressing way, this film however opens up a new look on a country,it's people and the situation that is both thought provoking and inspiring....leaving you not just sympathising with these guys and their tragic, unfair and undeserved situation, but you end up having the most respect for them...